Advertisement

Washington governor creates data center workgroup to explore economy, energy, environment impacts

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson ordered creation of a workgroup to evaluate the impacts of data centers on Washington’s economy, tax revenue, energy use and environment.
Listen to this article
0:00
Learn more. This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment.
Bob Ferguson
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson gives his victory speech at the Washington State Democrats Election Night Watch Party at the Seattle Convention Center on Nov. 5, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Alexi Rosenfeld / Getty Images)

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed an executive order Tuesday, creating a workgroup to evaluate how data centers affect Washington’s economy, tax revenue, energy use and environment.

The executive order directs the Washington State Department of Revenue to establish and lead the data center workgroup, which will be tasked with making policy and action recommendations related to data centers. According to a news release, the group will include representatives from the state’s Department of Commerce, the Utilities and Transportation Commission and the Department of Ecology in addition to electric utilities, environmental advocacy groups, labor organizations and industry stakeholders.

According to the news release, data centers are crucial infrastructure that support Washington’s digital economy, and they provide essential services that drive innovation and economic growth, but they also consume significant amounts of electricity in the state, which can put strain on the local power grid and can require increased energy generation, storage and transmission.

“We must ensure Washington remains a leader in technology and sustainability — these experts will help us do that,” Ferguson said in a news release. “This group will help us balance industry growth, tax revenue needs, energy constraints and sustainability.”

Advertisement

Through the order, Ferguson directed the the data center workgroup to submit any findings or policy recommendations by Dec. 1.

Keely Quinlan

Written by Keely Quinlan

Keely Quinlan reports on privacy and digital government for StateScoop. She was an investigative news reporter with Clarksville Now in Tennessee, where she resides, and her coverage included local crimes, courts, public education and public health. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Stereogum and other outlets. She earned her bachelor’s in journalism and master’s in social and cultural analysis from New York University.

Latest Podcasts